Rotate-to-advance Catheter with Helical Threads
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional catheters and endoscopic devices rely on a 'push-to-advance' methodology, which is inefficient and uncomfortable, causing trauma, infection, and requiring skilled practitioners due to their stiffness and inability to navigate bodily passageways effectively, especially in the genitourinary and gastrointestinal tracts.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a 'rotate-to-advance' technology using screw-based means with helical threads that allow for rotational advancement and anchoring of catheters, probes, and stents, enabling easier insertion and reduced discomfort by using a helical design that pre-dilates the passageway and anchors radially, reducing the need for longitudinal migration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional push-to-advance methodology is used, then catheters can be inserted into bodily passageways, but the insertion causes trauma, infection, and requires skilled practitioners due to stiffness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional push-to-advance methodology by implementing a rotate-to-advance mechanism. Instead of pushing the catheter longitudinally through the passageway, the catheter is rotated about its longitudinal axis, causing helical threads to engage the passageway walls and advance the catheter through rotational motion. This inversion transforms a harmful linear pushing force into a beneficial rotational motion that gently advances the catheter while the helical threads provide anchoring and pre-dilation, significantly reducing trauma and infection risk
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies curvature by using helical threads wrapped around the catheter shaft. These helical (curved) threads engage the walls of the bodily passageway during rotation, converting rotational motion into longitudinal advancement. The curved geometry of the helical threads allows the catheter to navigate bends and curves in the passageway more effectively while distributing mechanical stress along the helical path, reducing localized trauma compared to straight push-to-advance methods
2Strength
If catheters are made stiff to enable insertion, then they can be pushed through the passageway, but they cannot effectively navigate bends and curves in the genitourinary and gastrointestinal tracts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the catheter shaft flexible rather than rigid, allowing it to adapt to the dynamic geometry of bodily passageways. The flexible shaft can bend and conform to curves in the urethra, bladder, ureters, or gastrointestinal tract while maintaining sufficient structural integrity. Combined with the helical threads that engage the passageway walls during rotation, the flexible shaft enables the catheter to navigate complex anatomical pathways that rigid catheters cannot access
Solution Approach 2:
The helical threads wrapped around the catheter shaft provide curvature that enables navigation of bent and curved passageways. As the catheter rotates, the helical threads engage the passageway walls at varying angles, allowing the catheter to follow the natural curves of the anatomy. The curved geometry of the helical path distributes advancement forces along the length of the catheter, enabling effective navigation through bends and turns in the genitourinary and gastrointestinal tracts
3Reliability
If traditional catheters are used, then procedures require skilled practitioners and hospital settings, but this increases costs and reduces patient quality of life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by enabling patients to perform catheterization procedures themselves at home without requiring skilled practitioners or hospital settings. The rotate-to-advance mechanism with helical threads provides self-guiding and self-anchoring functionality, where the helical threads automatically engage the passageway walls during rotation to advance the catheter to the correct position. This self-advancing mechanism eliminates the need for complex manual manipulation techniques required by traditional catheters, allowing untrained patients to safely and effectively perform the procedure themselves, thereby reducing healthcare costs and improving quality of life
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus comprising a tube sized to receive visualization apparatus; a deformable helical thread disposed on the exterior surface of the tube, the deformable helical thread (i) being transformable between a first configuration wherein the deformable helical thread comprises a reduced profile and/or a reduced rigidity and a second configuration wherein the deformable helical thread comprises an expanded profile and/or an increased rigidity, and (ii) when in its second configuration, having a sufficient structural integrity, and a sufficient surface profile, such that when the tube is disposed in a bodily passageway so that the deformable helical thread engages the interior wall of the bodily passageway, rotation of the tube will induce a relative movement between the tube and the wall of the bodily passageway; and a thread varying element dynamically varying at least one of the height of the deformable helical thread and the rigidity of the deformable helical thread.